Gear shaping
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gear shaping is a specific machining process for creating teeth on a gear using a reciprocating cutter. Gear shaping is a convenient and versatile method of gear cutting. It involves continuous, same-plane rotational cutting of gear.[1]
Other methods of gear tooth cutting include Hobbing, Milling and Grinding all of which use rotating tools or cutters to create the gear tooth profile. Electrical discharge machining ortherwise known as wire eroding can also be used to manufacture metal gears.
The types of cutters used for gear shaping can be grouped into four categories: disk, hub, shank, and helical cutters. The cutters are essentially gears that are used to form the teeth. This method of gear cutting is based on the principle that any two gears will mesh if they are of the same pitch, proper helix angle, and proper tooth depth and thickness.
Process characteristics
By using a gear-shaped corresponding cutter that is rotated (in relation to a blank gear) produces the gear teeth. The cutters that are rotated are timed with the workpiece. This process produces internal gears, external gears, and integral gear-pinion arrangements.